April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.
- T S Eliot, The Wasteland
Well, sort of. It's more of a busy month, especially for all the faiths, cultures and religions that live side by side in London. For the next week, the multifaith calendar of multicultural London looks like this:
Yesterday: Ching Ming Festival - the Chinese Remembrance of Ancestors Day, wherein families tend to the graves of their deceased and burn offerings for their continued peace and rest in the afterlife.
Today: Rama Navami - the Hindu holy day that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, whose reign (Ramrajya) was prosperous and peaceful. Mahatma Gandhi used the term Ramrajya to describe how he imagined India would be after Independence.
Sunday 9th April: Palm Sunday - the Christian festival day that marks the sixth and last Sunday of Lent and the start of Holy Week. Commemorates Christ's arrival in Jerusalem, when all the crowds welcomed him with palm branches, before they attended his crucifixion which is marked by Good Friday.
Tuesday 11th April: Eid Milad un Nabi - a Muslim festival that celebrates the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims gather together to discuss the Prophet's life and families arrange feasts. Not all Muslims celebrate this day as they do not approve of celebrating the birthday.
And then... brace yourself:
Thursday 13th April Maundy Thursday - the Christian dayof remembering Christ's Last Supper
Hanuman Jayanti - the Hindu festival marking the the birth of Hanuman, the Monkey God
Memorial of Christ's Death - this is the only religious festival marked by Jehovah's Witnesses
Therevada New Year - a three day festival for Theravada Buddhists, starting on the first full moon day in April
Passover - the first day of the season of Passover when Jews commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses.
Vaisakhi or Baisakhi - the Sikh New Year Festival
Who thought being religious could ever be boring?